ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chest · wax · suit · last · can · safe · roll · squash

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wax — to grow
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. chest — of your body
  8. last — final
  9. can — a tin
  10. last — finally
  11. chest — of your body
  12. squash — the sport
  13. chest — a box
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. can — a tin
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. suit — to fit
  18. last — to go on
  19. roll — a list
  20. squash — to crush
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — clothes
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com